Multiple barrel firearm having barrel selection means responsive to counter recoil



3, R970 R. E. WEATHERBY ETAL 3,5372% MULTIPLE BARREL FIREARM HAVING BARREL SELECTION MEANS RESPONSIVE TO COUNTER RECOIL Filed Apri l 10, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. /43 63 v I 30 I 6% INVENTORS. V 6. W647 /6E6V FEED d. JA/N/E NOV. 3, 1970 WEATHERBY ETAL 3,537,203

MULTIPLE BARREL FIREARM HAVING BARREL SELECTION v MEANS RESPONSIVE To COUNTER RECOIL Filed April l0, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. 601 6. WEATHEEV BY FEED Z. J/V/V/ US. C]. 4242 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A multiple barrel firearm, and having over and under barrels or side-by-side barrels. The barrels each can be fired by the same individual trigger. Manually actuable selector means are provided so that the shooter can select either barrel to be fired by the trigger. A counter recoil responsive means whereby after a barrel has been selected and fired, the other barrel cannot be fired unless recoil and counter recoil movements have occurred. The counter recoil mechanism cooperates with the barrel selector mechanism so that operative engagement is provided for as between the trigger and the firing means for the second barrel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to firearms of the type having multiple barrels and a single trigger with selector means whereby inter-engagement may be provided for so that the trigger will fire a selected barrel. The invention is described herein in an exemplary preferred embodiment in the form of a shotgun of the side-by-side type. The invent on is, of course, applicable to multiple barreled weapons of the over and under type, and other configurations as well.

In the preferred form of the invention, two hammers are provided and two sears cooperating with the hammers actuatable by a single trigger. A manually adjustable selector is provided so that selection can be made as between one barrel or the other of a double barreled weapon or firearm to be fired by the single trigger. The mechanism or action of the invention embodies a means, which is a member responsive to counter recoil, which is arranged to interact with the selector means which selects the barrel to be fired so that before the counter recoil movement, the unselected barrel cannot be prematurely fired and that after the counter recoil movement has occurred, the next pull of the trigger will fire the second barrel. In the event of misfire of the first barrel, the second barrel can be fired. The nature of the mechanism or action is such as to provide for the realization of certain objects and particular advantages.

The means responsive to counter recoil embodies an inertia block or inertia member. After firing both barrels, and in the preferred form of the invention, this member is manually reset to allow recocking and repositioning of the selector mechanism. The reset movement is preferably by way of the locking or latch lever whereby the breech is opened. ,However, the inertia member may be automatically reset if desired, as explained hereinafter.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a selector mechanism of the type described wherein the firing of the second barrel, after selection of the first barrel, is made possible by another pull of the trigger by reason of a counter recoil movement having occurred; that is, that the firearm has fired, recoiled against the shooters shoulder and counter recoiled therefrom. Premature firing of the second barrel is prevented. The action is such that in the event of a misfire of the first barrel, this does not prevent Patented Nov. 3, 1970 the shooter from firing the second barrel. A further object of the invention is the realization of this advantage.

Another object is to provide means in the action whereby firing of the second barrel is prevented (after firing the first barrel) until the recoil and counter recoil movements resulting from firing of the first barrel are completed.

Another object is to provide means for manually or automatically resetting the counter recoil responsive means after firing.

Another object is to provide means in an action of the type described comprising a visible indicator to indicate whether or not the firing means associated with each barrel are fired or unfired.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, wherein:

:FIG. 1 is a side view of the mechanism or action of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 showing the action in a position wherein one barrel has been fired and the recoil and counter recoil movements have taken place;

FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view illustrating the action in firing the second barrel;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the action;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective detail view of the manual selector.

Referring now more in detail to the various figures of the drawings showing the exemplary form of the invention, numeral 10 designates a portion of a firearm shown as a side-by-side or over and under shotgun of otherwise conventional type. The gun embodies a frame or receiver 12 to which the barrel is attached and to which a stock is attached. At the underside of the receiver is a trigger guard 14 within which is the trigger 16. Numeral 18 at the top of the receiver designates a lever actuatable in a conventional manner to operate mechanism 20 within the receiver whereby the action is broken open, for ejection of cartridge cases and reloading.

The receiver, of course, embodies side members and an upper or top part 26 and the lower part 28. Numerals 30 and 32 designate the two firing pins within the receiver which in themselves may be of conventional construction. The two hammers are designated at 34 and 34 being alike. Hammer 34 cooperates with one firing pin and hammer 34' with the other firing pin. The hammers are pivotally mounted or journalled on a transverse shaft 36 in the receiver and 'have a configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Hammer 34 is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction by a coil spring 40 on a plunger stem 42, the rear end of which extends through a bore 44 in the closure plate 46 at the rear of the receiver. At the other end of the stem is a socket member 50, at the end of which is a ball and socket joint 52 providing engagement with the hammer 34. Thus whenever the hammer 34 is released, it is urged forwardly into engagement with its firing pin. At the back of the hammer 34 at its lower part is a notch 58 which is engageable with a toe or projection 60 on the end of sear 62. The other sear is identified by the numeral 62. Both sears are mounted on a transverse shaft 64 within the receiver 12 to be rotatable thereabout. Sear 62 has a rearwardly extending tailpiece 68 and has a configuration as shown in FIG. 1.

Sear 62 is normally biased in a clockwise direction by a coil spring 70 on stem 72 which fits into a bore 74 in the floor or bottom 28 of the receiver housing, this bore being co-axial with a counterbore 76 which forms a seat for the spring 70. The other end of the stem 72 is attached to the sear 62 at a joint 73 to normally urge the sear in a clockwise direction as stated. The end of the stem 72 is normally flush with the underside of the bottom wall 28 of the receiver 12 when the hammer 34 is in the cocked position and when this hammer is fired, as will be explained, the stem 72 visibly protrudes and acts as an indicator to indicate that that barrel has been fired. The hammers and scars for the two barrels are alike so that they need not be described in detail for both barrels. For the present, it may be pointed out that when the hammer 34 is released and fired, the toe of sear 62 is disengaged from the notch 58 and as the hammer rotates in a counterclockwise direction, its rounded lower surface 81] causing the sear 62 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and to a position as illustrated in FIG. 2. (The complete operation of the action will be described presently.)

After firing one or both barrels cocking is by way of a conventional gun action. This action operates when the breech is opened, to reciprocate plunger 81 which engages projection 82 on cam lever '83 pivoted on shaft 84. Toe 85 of cam 83 engages hammer 34 and recocks it. A similar cam is provided to recock the other hammer.

The configuration of the trigger 16 is best shown in FIG. 4. It has an extending fingerpiece and it has a forwardly extending part 102 and is pivoted on a transverse pin 106 which extends through a transverse bore 108 at the forward part of the trigger. At the rear, the trigger has an upstanding part 112 having a transverse slot or groove 116 in it and lying in this groove is a transverse part 118 at an end of coiled bow spring 122, the bow part of which fits into a slotlike opening 124 in the rear wall 46 of the receiver. This spring normally biases the trigger in a clockwise direction; that is, resistive to the finger pull force.

The trigger 16 is bifurcated as shown in FIG. 4 providing an intermediate slot 126. The counter recoil responsive means comprises an inertia member which is designated at in FIG. 4. It is narrower at its lower part which has an aperture 132 therein and this part fits into the slot 126 in the trigger 16 and the inertia member is pivoted to the trigger on a transverse pin 136' which extends through the aperture 132. The inertia member 130 is widened at the upper part as shown at so that it has sufficient mass or inertia to effectuate its purposes. At the side of the lower narrow part of the inertia member 130 is a finger, projection, or lug 142 on one side with a similar lug 142 on the other side, the purpose of which will be described presently. In the upstanding rear part of the trigger 16, as designated at 112, there is a slanting bore as may be seen in FIG. 1, in which is a plunger 152, the end of which bears against the lower part of the inertia member 130. This plunger has a stem 154 of smaller diameter and in the bore 150 and around this stem is a coil spring 156 which acts on the plunger 150 to normally urge it against the inertia member 130 to urge this member in a counterclockwise direction.

Lever 18 is secured to a stem 131 journalled in bushing 129 and having on its end a disc 133 angularly biased in one direction by a spring, not shown. A link 134 has a hook 135 at its end hooked into the disc 133 and it has a downwardly extending projection 137. When lever 18 is moved laterally to unlatch, and open the breech, link 134 moves rearwardly; projection 137 engages the upper part of inertia block 130 and returns it to battery, allowing recocking of the hammers and the return of the parts to the position of FIG. 1.

Numeral 143 designates a safety button on stem 144 movable in slot 145. On stem 144 is projection 146. When safety button 143 is moved rearwardly projection 146 is moved over inertia block 130 to prevent its being moved upwardly and thus preventing trigger actuation, so the firearm is on safety.

As explained, selector means are provided so that the shooter can select either barrel to be fired. The selector Cir means are shown in more detail in FIG. 6. In this figure, numeral designates a manual selector member having a stem 162 and an enlarged part 164 with an extending member 166 adapted to he engaged by the thumb for selecting the barrel to be fired. The enlarged circular part 164 is journaled in a bore; that is, a counterbor 163 in the bottom 28 of the receiver 12 and the stem 162 is journaled in a bore 170. The extending manual actuator 166 of the barrel selector extends rearwardly into a position underneath the trigger 16; that is, into a cutout 172 in the trigger as may be seen in FIG. 3.

Numeral 174 designates a connector member which provides for selective inter-engagement as between the trigger and one or the other of the sears 62 and 62. The configuration of this connector member is shown in FIG. 6. At its rear part is a generally vertical slot or groove 176. The upper end of the stem 162 is narrowed and flattened and extends into this groove or bifurcation and is pivoted to the member 174 on a transverse pin 130. Extending rearwardly of the lower part of the connector 174 is a finger 182. At the upper part of the connector 174 is a shorter extending member 184 having side wings or shoulders 186 and 183. The manual selector 160 is movable laterally with the thumb or finger'to select one barrel or the other for firing. Engaged in groove 176 is one leg 167 of a bow spring 169 which has another leg 171 held in a bore in the intermediate framepiece 173. Spring 169 urges the connector in a clockwise direction.

Next will be described the overall operation of the action of the firearm, particularly the barrel selection mechanism. If the firing mechanism of both barrels is cocked, the stems 72 in front of the trigger are both in a flush position and are extended to a protruding position when a barrel is fired and thus serving as an indicator.

If the manual selector 160 is shifted to the right for firing of the righthand barrel, the connector 174 moves into a position as shown in FIG. 2 with its extending finger 182 underneath the sear 62 on the right. It will be observed that the connector 174 is in a position directly over the forward part of the trigger and in its intermediate position, the finger 182 of the connector 174 is in a position such that it could be moved upwardly between the two sears 62 and 62 without actuating either one. A barrel having been selected as described, if the trigger 16 is pulled, the connector 174 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot and its extending finger 182 engages underneath the sear 62 so that its extending toe 66' disengages from the notch 58' in the hammer 34' causing this hammer to be fired under the influence of its spring 411'. When the hammer 34 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, its lower rounded corner 80 coacts with the toe 60' on the end of the sear 62' to further rotate this sear in a counterclockwise direction and its extending part 68' now engages under the shoulder or wing 188 on the extending part 184- of the connector 174- to rotate the connector further in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot into a position as shown in FIG. 2 to release the inertia member to move under the other sear. Thus, even if the first barrel misfires and there is no recoil, the second barrel can be fired. It will be observed that before pulling of the trigger and firing, the parts were in a position as shown in FIG. 1 with the inertia member 130 abutted against the end of the extending finger 182 of the connector 174. When the one barrel is fired, the counter recoil responsive inertia member 1311 moves rearwardly in response to counter recoil; that is, in a clockwise direction, thus drawing the lug 142 rearwardly out of a position in which it could engage with the extending part or tail 68 of sear 62. When the counter recoil movement has been completed, then the spring 156 acting on plunger 152 rotates the inertia member 130 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot to bring its lug 142 into a position underneath the extending finger or tail 68 of sear 62. This position is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 3 shows the position when the trigger has been pulled for firing the second barrel. The lug 142 now engaged underneath the tail or extension 68 on the sear 62 rotates it in a counterclockwise direction and releases its hammer for firing.

After both barrels have been fired, the lever 18 is actuated to open the breech. This actuates link 134 and projection 137 engages inertia block 130 and returns it to battery. That is into a position as shown in FIG. 1 wherein connector 174 is returned to its clockwise rotated position with inertia member 130 abutting the end of finger 182.

In another form of the invention, the finger 182 is made just long enough so that its biasing spring 169 can rotate it clockwise withthe end of finger 182 engaging the slanted front cam face at the lower part of inertia block 130 to cam it back into reset position. Manual reset is however preferred.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will understand the nature and construction of the invention and the manner in which it achieves and realizes all of the objects and advantages as set forth in the foregoing, as well as the many additional advantages that are apparent from the detailed description.

We claim:

1. A firearm having plural barrels and firing means including a single trigger, selector means whereby the trigger may fire an individual selected barrel, means actuated in response to firing of a barrel movable to a position wherein the trigger may fire a second barrel, and means whereby said actuated means may be reset after firing of the second barrel into a position wherein the selector means may again be actuated to select a barrel, said reset means embodying spring means capable of resetting said actuating means.

2. In a firearm having plural barrels and firing means including a single trigger, selector means whereby the trigger may fire an individual selected barrel, means actuated in response to firing of a barrel comprising a first member movable to a position wherein the trigger may fire a second barrel, and means whereby said actuated means is reset after firing the second barrel into a position wherein the selector means may again be actuated to select a barrel, said means responsive to firing a first barrel embodying a member responsive to recoil movement whereby recoil movement must occur before said first member is positioned for firing a second barrel, said means responsive to recoil movement being responsive to counter recoil movement whereby firing the second barrel cannot occur until the counter recoil movement has occurred, said firearm having a pair of sears, said selector means embodying a connector member positionable to engage a sear for actuating it and means whereby after movement of the sear by the connector member the sear imparts further movement to the connector member.

3. A fiream as in claim 2 wherein the connector member normally holds the first member in a disengaged position relative to the scars and said further movement thereof allows the first member to move to a position to engage a sear whereby a second barrel may be fired if the first barrel misfires.

4. A firearm as in claim 3 wherein the first member comprises shoulders engageable with one of the sears upon pivotal movement of the first member.

5. A firearm having plural barrels and firing means including a single trigger, selector means whereby the trigger may fire an individual selected barrel, said firearm having a pair of sears, a connector member carried by the selector means and operable by the trigger to have direct engagement with one of the sears, hereby upon a first actuation of the trigger the sear is actuated, and means responsive to the first actuation of the trigger whereby a second actuation of the trigger actuates the other sear independently of firing of the first barrel.

6. A firearm as in claim 5 wherein the said connector member is rotatably positioned below and between the sears.

7. A firearm as in claim 5, including a spring actuated member carried by the trigger and movable to engage the second sear in response to the first trigger actuation.

8. A firearm as in claim 5 wherein said connector member is so constructed that after engaging the sear, continued movement of the sear causes further movement of the connector member to allow actuation of the other sear by a second actuation of the trigger.

9. A firearm as in claim 8 including recoil responsive means carried by the trigger and operable in response to recoil to move into position to engage the other sear after firing the first barrel.

10. A firearm as in claim 9 wherein said recoil means is responsive to counter recoil.

11. A firearm as in claim 9 wherein said connector member is positioned to normally hold the recoil responsive means in an inactive position until the connector member has been moved by a scar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,829,95 8 11/ 1931 Kautzky 4242 2,632,972 3 1953 Defourny 4242 2,711,042 6/ 1955 Simmons 4242 3,389,488 6/1968 Beretta 4242 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner CHARLES T. JORDAN, Assistant Examiner 

